


Yusuke's (Art Inspiring) Wednesdays

by spark_plugx



Series: Two Local Teens Oblivious To Their Gay Feelings For Each Other (and their friends are stuck witnessing it) [4]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: M/M, Painting, a lob-dad if you will, and not understanding why ryuji and akira aren't already together, using ryuji and akira as his models cuz they cute, yusuke being blunt, yusuke giving ryuji advice, yusuke is a great lobster dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-22
Updated: 2017-09-22
Packaged: 2019-01-03 22:47:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12156369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spark_plugx/pseuds/spark_plugx
Summary: “So, what other piece are you even going to do? Another focused on Akira’s beauty?” Ryuji joked, elbowing Akira as Yusuke turned to watch them.“Aw, you think I’m beautiful?” Akira replied smiling at Ryuji.“I have all the inspiration I need,” Yusuke said, ideas racing through his head as he watched the two.(Or, 5 Wednesdays Yusuke spends wondering why Ryuji and Akira don't notice that they're in love)





	Yusuke's (Art Inspiring) Wednesdays

**Author's Note:**

> Oooo man I wasn't originally going to give Yusuke his own day but the more I thought about it the more I grew to love him getting his own day ? Like his just provides something the other characters don't to help build this relationship 
> 
> I hope I did him justice, it was a little tricky for me to keep him...as Yusuke as possible. 
> 
> I changed the summary like 5 times I couldn't pick a spot in the story I liked best

“Hey Yusuke, what’s up?” Ryuji asked, approaching Yusuke in the underground walkway with Akira right beside him.

“Hello you two, what brings you down here?” Yusuke asked.

“We’re going to the Meiji shrine today. I know you like going, so we came to see if you wanted to join us,” Akira explained, leaning to the side.

“Yes! I’ve been waiting for inspiration. The beautiful atmosphere is perfect to get my mind flowing! Let us be off!” He grabbed his bag and headed off towards the subway line, the other two males hurrying to catch up with him.

“Someone’s excited,” Akira said, smirking at Yusuke.

“I have been in a slump the past week. Nothing is making me inspired. It’s so stressful to stare at a blank canvas,” he complained.

“Did the lobsters finally let you down?” Ryuji joked and Yusuke shot him a questioning look, not understand what was so funny.

“They’re lobsters, Ryuji, how could they have let me down?” He questioned and Ryuji rolled his eyes, looking at Akira who was holding back laughter. “If anything, that joke let me down.”

Akira started laughing hard at this. Ryuji had to pull him into the subway car, frowning the whole time.

“I wouldn’t be laughing…so much if you hadn’t made that face,” Akira said in between gasps of air. Ryuji tried to keep his frown on his face, but his façade fell as Akira continued laughing. Soon Ryuji was laughing as well; Yusuke couldn’t help but join in.

* * *

“So, why did you two decide to come to the shrine?” Yusuke asked as he looked around, searching for the subject of his next project.

“Uh…” Ryuji looked embarrassed and shrugged. “My mom is up for a promotion. Figured praying and giving an offerin’ might do some good,” he finished, stepping up to do his prayer and offering. Yusuke’s focus was on the gentle smile that was on Akira’s face as he watched Ryuji. Yusuke had seen the black haired male smile before, but not one that gave off such a calming and loving feeling. It almost reminded him of his mother’s smile.

That’s when it hit him.

“Akira! You will be my inspiration for my next piece!” Yusuke exclaimed, startling Ryuji and pulling Akira’s eyes from the blond male.

“Hm?” Akira hummed, tilting his head slightly.

“He’s going to inspire your next piece? You came all the way out here and decided to use him?” Ryuji questioned, wondering why Yusuke came all the way out here in the first place.

“Yes! Can’t you see the beauty Akira has?” Yusuke questioned, gesturing dramatically to Akira, who still stood in his spot, expression still the same before he pushed his glasses up on his nose.

“C’mon, Ryuji, say I’m beautiful,” he told Ryuji with a straight face, making the blond take a step back.

“Dude!” Ryuji exclaimed, balling his fist with a red face. “Don’t joke around like that!”

“So you think I’m ugly?” Akira asked, still teasing Ryuji, too amused by how flustered he was getting.

“W-What? No! Dude!”

“Is this the flirting that Futaba has been telling me about?” Yusuke questioned unheard by both males as Akira continued to tease Ryuji.

Yusuke didn’t care; he got his inspiration and that was what mattered the most.

* * *

“So you want me to just…?” Akira sat in Yusuke’s dorm, looking at the lobster tank that was on the blue haired male’s bookshelf. “I’m honestly surprised they're still alive….”

“Yes, sit like that and be yourself,” Yusuke said, beginning to sketch out his leader’s side portrait “Why are you surprised? I’m a great ‘lobster dad’ as Futaba calls me.”

“The best lob-dad,” Akira chuckled, thinking of what Futaba called Yusuke. He watched the lobsters, zoning out. Yusuke’s sigh pulled him out of his daydream. “Something wrong?”

“It’s not the same as last week,” Yusuke grumbled, not liking how the drawing was coming out. “I should have just done the sketch there, but you and Ryuji were flirting loudly and it would have distracted me…” Yusuke rubbed his chin then looked up when he heard Akira coughing.

“What did you say?”

“That I should have done the sketch last Wednesday whe—“

“No, the Ryuji and I flirting part,” Akira said, lobsters were forgotten in their tank.

“Well, you were flirting. Futaba said you two flirt all the time, and you were teasing him and getting him riled up in a playful manner, which is considered flirting,” Yusuke explained, not understanding why Akira was hung up on that. “Now I can’t get it right. You don’t have the same soft expression you had last Wednesday…why is that.”

“Ryuji and I weren’t flirting…” Akira muttered, looking at the ground as Yusuke continued to think about what was missing.

“This won’t do,” Yusuke said, looking at Akira. “This is the opposite from what inspired me!”

“What about me inspired you in the first place?” Akira questioned, trying to help Yusuke out.

“You had such a soft facial expression, it truly was beautiful and moving, if only I could recreate that somehow…” Yusuke sighed then heard a ring. Akira pulled out his phone and smiled.

“Sorry, it’s Ryuji,” Akira said, answering the call.

“THAT’S IT!” Yusuke shouted, grabbing his sketchbook again. “Don’t you dare stop talking to Ryuji!”

“Can do,” Akira smiled, looking at the lobsters again, holding his phone up to his ear.

Yusuke would listen to the two flirt all day if it meant he got plenty of inspiration.

* * *

_Futaba: oh my god Inari don’t go telling Akira that I told you about his and ryuji’s flirting !!!_

_Yusuke: But, don’t they flirt?_

_Futaba: well duh but they’re slow as snails !_

_Yusuke: it’s not my fault I point out the obvious._

* * *

Yusuke was very pleased by how his sketch had turned out. He had taken pictures of it with his phone and shown everyone.

Futaba told him that dragging a large canvas around was impractical.

And _really_ weird.

“So what’s the next big piece you’re doing?” Ryuji questioned, handing Yusuke a melon bread he picked up from the convenience store. Akira had to drop Morgana off with Futaba, the cat refused to go art supply shopping with them.

“I’m not sure. My teacher wants to see two paintings relating to one another. That’s why I decided to invite you and Akira out shopping with me today,” Yusuke explained, munching on the bread happily. “You and Akira can be very inspiring.”

“Really?” Ryuji asked, eyebrows raised. “We’re inspiring? How?”

“Sorry I’m late,” Akira said, approaching them.

“That’s fine, it gave us a chance to snack. It’s not good to go shopping for supplies on an empty stomach. Sometimes I’m there for hours,” Yusuke said, picking up his bag missing the look Ryuji gave Akira.

“Hours?” Ryuji whispered and Akira just patted his back, following Yusuke to the art supply shop. When they entered, the smell of clay and paint hit them in the faces and Yusuke’s eyes sparkled. They followed Yusuke to the back where the paint and canvases were. “Geez, look at all the reds,” Ryuji mumbled, looking at a shelf of red paint.

“Lots of yellows too. Almost too many to choose from,” Akira said, putting his hands in his pockets. “Look how happy he is,” Akira nodded towards Yusuke. The blue haired male was examining the pink and purple paints, mumbling to himself. 

“A wild Yusuke in his natural habitat,” Ryuji said, making Akira chuckle. “This stuff is all so insane. How could someone choose just a few colors?”

“Or just a few paint brushes?” Akira questioned, looking at the back wall that held tons of paint brushes. “We should try painting.”

“What would we even paint?” Ryuji looked to Akira, eyebrows slightly raised.

“You’d paint ramen,” Akira answered quickly, earning a pout from Ryuji which only made him smile in return.

“Yeah, and you’d paint curry and coffee,” Ryuji told him and they both laughed over the fact that they would paint food. “So, what other piece are you even going to do? Another focused on Akira’s beauty?” Ryuji joked, elbowing Akira as Yusuke turned to watch them.

“Aw, you think I’m beautiful?” Akira replied smiling at Ryuji.

“I have all the inspiration I need,” Yusuke said, ideas racing through his head as he watched the two.

Their clueless flirting was providing Yusuke with all the inspiration he needed.

He just needed the paint.

* * *

“Akira, when you look at Ryuji, what color do you see?” Yusuke asked Akira as Ryuji looked out over the city. They were at Tokyo Tower, Akira didn’t know why Yusuke suggested that they come here, but Ryuji was having fun so that’s all that mattered to him.

He was happy that didn’t go to the art museum again. It was fine going with Ann and Yusuke Monday because he tortured Ann by pretending to know nothing about art and letting Yusuke explain every little detail.

He wasn’t going to put Ryuji through that.

“What color do I see?” Akira repeated the question, watching Ryuji pressed against the class, eyes wide as they scanned the city, trying to find his house. “Yellow. A soft yellow that lights up every room it’s in,” Akira answered, keeping his eyes on Ryuji.

“Interesting, Ryuji is, metaphorically speaking, the light in your life that eliminates any darkness you might feel,” Yusuke said and Akira froze, slowly turning his head to look at Yusuke. “Thank you for your input,” he left Akira standing there speechless and walked over to Ryuji, who was still looking for his house. “May I ask you a question, Ryuji?”

“Sure, man, what’s up?” Ryuji asked, looking at Yusuke, giving up locating his house.

“When you look at Akira, what color do you see?” Yusuke asked and Ryuji looked taken aback by the question.

“Uh…” Ryuji mumbled, shifting his eyes to Akira, who was now watching two kids run around his legs, using him as a ‘hiding spot’. He didn’t look to be minding it, he actually looked like he was enjoying it. “When I look at Akira, I see red. A bold, eye-catching red. Makes you feel warm all over. Makes you feel safe,” Ryuji’s smile filled Yusuke’s head with ideas. It was overflowing with happiness and a sense of peacefulness about it.

“Ah, I see. So Akira is an anchor in your life. You feel safe and secure with him,” Yusuke nodded his head and Ryuji fumbled over his words, unable to come up with a decent reply. “Perfect. Might I borrow you sometime soon?”

“F-For what? And don’t go around sayin’ that stuff, man!” Ryuji whispered harshly, not wanting Akira to overhear them.

“I need you for my second piece. I’ll text you later to arrange a good time for you. I’m just stating the obvious,” Yusuke said. “I should get going, I need to go to the art supply store.”

Yusuke couldn’t believe it. Maybe he should title his pieces ‘blinded by color’ because these two were definitely blind.

* * *

“I really can’t believe you still have them,” Ryuji said, examining the lobsters’ tank as Yusuke set out his supplies. “You’re a surprisingly good lob-dad.”

“They are my responsibility,” Yuuske said, getting his sketchbook from his bag. “Okay, I need you to sit on the chair and turn your head towards the tank, Yusuke instructed. Ryuji did as he was told and watched the lobsters.

“Why do you want me to model anyway?” Ryuji asked, keeping his head turned. “Akira I can understand, but me…”

“You have a very nice jawline. Your side profile is almost perfect,” Yusuke explained, starting a warm-up sketch. “Plus, this is a matching piece to the one I did of Akira….speaking of Akira, could you call him or think about him? Thank you,” Yusuke said and Ryuji turned to look at him, eyes wide.

“W-What?” The blond asked and Yusuke sighed, not pleased that he moved.

“You have a very peaceful expression when he’s on your mind. Have you not noticed?” Yusuke asked. Ryuji looked back to the tank, expression still not what Yusuke wanted. He looked upset, like Akira had two weeks ago when Yusuke mentioned their flirting. “Why is he your best friend?” Yusuke decided to try a different approach. He needed to get this piece done by Saturday so hearing Ryuji gush about Akira was something he had to do.

“Uh, because he believed me when no one else did?” Ryuji said. “He saved me from being alone in school all the time. He stopped that piece of shit coach. He was my only friend. He’s my best friend. He’s amazing! He’s so cool!” Ryuji got happier the more he spoke about Akira. “He makes me feel free, ya know that feeling, right?”

“Actually….yes,” Yusuke said, hurrying in his sketching process, catching the smile on Ryuji’s face.

“He doesn’t get it, or he acts like he doesn’t, but he makes me feel free. Like, when I’m with him, I can do anything. I’m not some delinquent, not the ex-track star,  I’m not goin’ be like my old man…that bastard…I’m just…me, ya know?” Ryuji questioned, glancing at Yusuke for a split second. “He’s the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Yusuke kept drawing, finishing up his sketch after another half hour. “Why don’t you just tell Akira your feelings?” He asked as he put down the pencil, looking at Ryuji. “You care about him a lot. Just tell him.”

“W-what?” Ryuji questioned, cheeks red, not believing Yusuke was talking to him about this. 

 “Sorry, I said that rather bluntly. Futaba told me to not say anything about it,” Yusuke said and Ryuji groaned, expression worsening. “Why are you upset by this?” Yusuke asked, not understanding the problem.

“Because I…because he…I don’t know!” Ryuji grumbled, running his fingers through his hair, conflicted by his feelings.

“If you are confused by how you feel, take a step back and focus on how _you_ feel when you’re with him. Don’t think about how others will think. In this, you might find that it is simpler than you think,” Yusuke advised and Ryuji stayed silent, staring at the lobsters.

Yusuke wasn’t sure if he made it better or worse, but someone had to say something.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed the fourth installment! Unsure if Haru will be getting her own day but Futaba is def getting her own day!
> 
> Thanks so much for all the comments, kudos, and bookmarks. It's really encouraging and inspiring that people enjoy this series and love my perfect boys as much as I do
> 
>  
> 
> my tumblr: thepersephoneaesthetic.tumblr.com


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